A Keswick councillor says he is “absolutely gutted” after colleagues voted against supporting revised plans to build an ambitious new youth centre with housing and work units in the town.
The town council had opposed Keswick Youth Centre Services’ original £2.25 million scheme in August last year after objections from local residents and the Environment Agency. Those plans were for a three-storey building featuring a youth centre with five homes plus work space all for under-25s on its former base at The Old Mill near Greta Bridge.
A modified version of that scheme came before councillors at their virtual meeting on Thursday night but was again objected to, this time by five votes to three, with one abstention and two none votes. Most councillors felt the revised scheme was still “overbearing” and had not been scaled-down sufficiently.
Cllr Markus Campbell-Savours, the town council’s liaison with Keswick Youth Club, disagreed saying: “I am absolutely gutted. It would be really nice if, having rejected last time, we could get this over the line. I believe it is an important project for the town and the young people.”
The Labour councillor said the youth club wanted to build a scheme of that size to generate enough income to make it self-sustaining. He also criticised “NIMBYs” some of whom he said did not live in that area, saying it was “heartbreaking” to read some of their comments.
Independent Cllr Alexandra Boardman also supported the scheme, saying: “I have spoken to so many people in town who fully support it. I want to represent them. They need a viable youth club. They need it to be bigger than before.”
There had been 23 objections from the public to the first scheme – with 19 repeated for the revised plan – and 14 letters of support for the principle of a new youth centre. Keswick’s mayor Cllr David Burn said: “As a council, we hugely support the need for a youth club in the town.”
However, the council’s three-man planning group had recommended objection, with Cllr Steve Harwood saying: “We were really desperately trying to find a way to approve this and to support the youth club but they are making it really difficult for us by not responding to issues raised by ourselves and individual objectors.”
Cllr Harwood said the revised plan was only “very slightly changed new version of the original application” and that it was “reduced in size only marginally.” Planning group colleague Cllr Duncan Miller said people in Old Mill Court were particularly disappointed that consultations had not been held with them, as requested by the council last year.
The town council’s objection to the scheme will be considered when it comes before the Lake District National Park Authority. The previous application had been withdrawn before it went before the LDNPA.
Keswick Youth Club has been without a permanent home since its historic riverside base at The Old Mill was demolished several years ago, having suffered severe flood damage. Its current temporary home is at King Kong activity centre in Heads Road, which attracts dozens of youngsters to its free twice-a-week meetings.